Of these, the first three included a seal depicting an American pioneer plowing land while a indigenous warrior rides past him on horseback.

Initially created for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, the first flag featured a white obverse side with the state seal surrounded by moccasin flowers, while the reverse was solid blue.

The flag was modified with a major redesign in 1957 that standardized the color to royal blue on both sides, and simplified the central design for cost-effectiveness and durability.

These criticisms, particularly concerns about the depiction of Indigenous peoples and compliance with vexillological standards, led to calls for a redesign.

"[8] The text of the law defers the details of the current flag's appearance and design to the Commission's report, which was dated January 1, 2024.

Instructions for folding the 1983 State Flag, developed by members of the Minnesota National Guard, were so detailed as to be confusing to some.

[8] However, following the 1990 Supreme Court ruling United States v. Eichman, enforcement of this law has been deemed unconstitutional.

[12] The State Emblems Redesign Commission's report provided technical specifications for the flag's colors, alternately in the distinct Web color, CMYK and Pantone systems:[9] In 1891, the Minnesota legislature voted to sponsor an exhibition at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, and in response then governor William Rush Merriam appointed a board to supervise the preparations.

A red ribbon across the seal bore a motto, L'Étoile du Nord (in French, "The Star of the North").

Historians have noted the design was likely influenced by various flags used by Minnesota's infantry regiments during the Civil War, many of which consisted of a blue field emblazoned with either an American eagle or the state seal with a scroll.

[2] The first flag was made of silk and was embroidered by Pauline and Thomane Fjelde, who won a gold medal for their creation.

Most significantly, the field of both the obverse (formerly white) and the reverse (formerly bright blue) were made royal blue; the unification allowed flags to be produced from a single piece of cloth, reducing manufacturing costs and making the flag more durable in high winds.

Around the seal was a ring of blue ornamented with a wreath of pink-and-white lady's-slippers and a red ribbon, upon which are written the years 1819 and 1893 (for the establishment of Fort Snelling and the first Minnesota flag, respectively).

In 1957, another flag, designed by former adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard Joseph Nelson, was proposed and endorsed by Rep. John Tracy Anderson.

Also, the Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls were added to the seal to note the importance of these resources in transportation, industry, and the settling of the state.

[20][21] Around the seal, the flag still showed three notable years in Minnesota history (1819, 1858, and 1893),[8] the pink-and-white lady's slipper, and 19 stars placed the same as in 1957.

[23] This was joined by concerns that the image depicted in the seal offered a negationist view of Minnesota's settlement by Europeans that concealed the violence committed against Indigenous peoples.

On March 22, 2022, two Democratic-Farmer-Labor members of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Mike Freiberg and Peter Fischer, introduced a bill to redesign the state's flag and seal.

Fischer began supporting a flag redesign in 2017 after a group of high school students raised the issue to him.

[4] It was proposed as part of a state budget bill and was opposed by Republican representatives, who viewed it as a low priority.

[33] Common themes included the state bird (the loon), lakes and rivers, and the North Star.

[51] By December 19, 2023, after much deliberation on specific design aspects, the commission had settled on five variations of F1953 to be the subject of the final vote.

[60] Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, who did not fly the former flag in protest of its depictions of Indigenous people,[61] celebrated it as an "upgrade" that allows it to represent every Minnesotan.